Second baseman Aaron Hill has spent more time hitting second than he has in any other spot in the lineup, but that doesn’t mean he’d be uncomfortable hitting somewhere else. Like in the No. 3 hole, for example.

Hill appears to be the leading candidate to succeed Justin Upton in Gibson’s three-hole following the January trade that sent Upton to the Atlanta Braves.

The No. 3 hole generally is inhabited by a team’s best hitter, and there was little doubt that’s what Hill was last season. He led the team in average (.302), slugging (.522) and on-base-plus-slugging (.882).

He grew to be a staple in Gibson’s lineup last season in the No. 2 hole, where he hit .296 in 103 starts. But he doesn’t believe it would make much difference if he were to move down a spot.

“Obviously, you’re going to get pitched to a little differently, but throughout the season you’re going to get pitched to no matter where you’re at depending on the situation and what your strengths are that day or week or whatever,” Hill said. “It’s making the adjustments and doing your work.”

The No. 2 hole, he says, is best for a hitter capable of handling many situations. And if it’s trying to move a runner over or executing a hit and run or bunting, Hill thinks Martin Prado “fits that perfectly.”

McCarthy ready

It took Brandon McCarthy a second to figure out why a reporter would want to talk to him in advance of his Cactus League start Wednesday against the Cincinnati Reds. That’s how little he’s thinking about his recovery from the scary head injury that ended his 2012 season.

He’s faced hitters in gamelike situations twice already this spring, but Wednesday will mark the first time doing so without pitching in front of a protective screen since the day of the injury last September. Still, he feels like he’s already gotten over whatever mental hurdles he’s needed to clear.

“You never totally know until you’re out there, but I doubt it,” he said. “I’m more nervous I’ll forget everything I’m supposed to do. (I could) balk, fall down, forget what the signs are; there are a million different things. I just want that first one done with, where you remember what the hell you do and how this all works again.”

He understands why he’s fielding the questions — and why his wife, Amanda, is constantly referencing the injury on Twitter.

“For me, it’s just going back to work,” he said. “For them (his family), there might be some emotional hurdles to get over or something, but if I start worrying about that, then I’m losing focus on what I need to be focusing on.”

Short hop

Catcher Miguel Montero was out of the lineup again with a bruised thumb. The thumb looked swollen Tuesday morning, a day after the training staff drained fluid from it. Montero said he isn’t sure how he hurt himself, but he’s hoping he’ll be OK to return to action Wednesday.

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